is head covering literal or spiritual

would love to know peoples thoughts on this..when scripture talks of a woman covering her head, do you think it refers to a veil or her husband.

Greeting trueblue

I think if you do a search of the forum you will find there have been a lot of discussion on this topic over the years. I have actually learned a lot on this matter. For myself, I have prayed on this matter, and sought out other brothers in CHRIST as well as my husband. After much prayer and seeking the LORD I believe my husband is my covering. I have no issues with sisters who see things differently and wear the head covering. I am always thankful to see them being faithful to the things the LORD has shown them, as I do also.

God bless
mj

My own best understanding is to take 1 Corinthians 11 literally on this. I also do not judge anyone who applies it as a figurative, husband as covering, or even Christ as covering, cultural statement. Personally I cannot honestly read it as culturally bound. My wife does not wear a head covering. I do not lead her to do that. She submits to me and to Christ. Her own honest view is that it is a spiritual covering by me and that literal coverings were cultural. I am content that she is not of a self willed heart on the matter.

But dolfan, what about the angels? ;)

Said a bride to her good husband, Ted
"You can't make me cover my head!"
Since she would not repent
She was consigned to torment
She should have listened to Ted.

by TMK on 2014/6/23 13:16:09

Said a bride to her good husband, Ted
"You can't make me cover my head!"
Since she would not repent
She was consigned to torment
She should have listened to Ted.

_____________________

Greetings TMK

I realize you probably meant this to be funny but if I may share with you it does come across a bit mocking of others. The truth is I know several sisters who dearly love the LORD and feel convicted wear the head covering. They do so with love in their heart for their husbands and the LORD JESUS. And sadly these same sister have to put up with being made fun of and even mocked by others from both the christian and non christian community.

Now you may think I am being sensitive and others might agree with you but on behalf of my sisters in CHRIST, I would just ask you to prayerfully consider before you post things like this. To you it may be a no big deal issue but for those of us who prayed about it, it matters a great deal.

Please consider what I have shared
God bless
maryjane

Hi MJ--

I didn't intend any offense. Just a little satire for what I believe to be a silly topic. Just my opinion of course.

This is a topic that has been discussed as infinitum here and elsewhere.

Some women choose to wear a head covering because they think scripture says so. Other women do not wear a head covering because they think scripture does NOT say so.

Both are right.

I am not saying it is a salvation issue; it is a sin issue. If it is a sin to not wear a head covering then there are millions of unrepentant sinners in the church. Are unrepentant sinners saved? I would argue no, but I guess that is another discussion.

My point is that it is not a sin not to not wear a head covering. But there are many persons who try to burden women with this requirement arguing that it is biblically required and a sin not to do so.

The only point I am trying to make is that it is not a sin to not wear a head covering and nobody has the right to say that it is.

Can we not debate on this again.

I believe that Head covering is a command given for women in Bible as a sign to angels. Hence there is no cultural aspect to it. Also there are very few such external commands given in New Covenant, hence we should be diligent in following them without asking questions.

I agree that it is not a salvation issue. Head covering is a sign that a women submits to her husband. If a women is honest and if she truly understood the meaning of biblical submission (not the modern feminist view) then she will acknowledge how challenging it is to submit. I am not saying it is impossible but it is truly challenging. Similarly in New Covenant it is written that Husbands should love their wife like how Christ loves his Church. Now anyone who understood the true love that Christ has for his Church then he will acknowledge how challenging it is for him to meet this standard in his married life. I acknowledge the challenge and I want God's grace and strength in this subject as much as possible to meet that standard.

Now if there was a command given to husbands like you should cover your face in Church as a symbol of your love for your wife then I will do it, no matter who follows it or not, I will follow it. I will not research and add cultural aspect to it. I will do it not because I fear that I will lose my salvation, but because I want to do all that I can to get his grace so that I can love my wife the way he wants me to love. I do not want my rebellion in this simple external command to stand in the way between me and God and prevent me from getting his Grace. Someone might argue that I am trying to earn his Grace, but God's word states that he gives his grace only to Humble and opposes the pride. The humble will obey the commands that they can keep immediately. Covering my face is a simple command that I can obey, to show God how much I need his grace in this matter of loving my wife. There is no such command for husbands in the Church.

So in my view a honest, humble and broken women who truly understood the biblical meaning of submission will cover her head in Church. There are those who do not know the truth or those who are misguided by Pastors saying that this is a cultural command. It is fine if they ignore out of ignorance, I pray that God will show them the truth.

But there are women who even after knowing the truth out of rebellion do not want to cover their head. For example in a Church run by one of the Son's of Zac Pooenen in US, there was a study made on Head Covering. They did a detailed study looking into all aspect of it. By the end of the study those women in Ignorance got light and started covering their head in Church, but those rebellious one left the Church forcing their family to leave as well. No one forced them to cover, the truth was presented openly. Not many can accept the truth.

Sree-

In your opinion is it a sin for a woman not to cover her head in church- for example- those women that left the church you talked about? In your view are they unrepentant sinners?

Sree-

In your opinion is it a sin for a woman not to cover her head in church- for example- those women that left the church you talked about? In your view are they unrepentant sinners?

No I will not call it a sin. Head covering is not an issue of salvation. A women can ignore this command out of ignorance or misguided by pastor. Those who left the Church after a detailed study was done did not do it in ignorance. It was rebellion for a simple command. I will call them unbroken people, I do not want to call them unsaved or unrepentant. A person needs to be broken to be of any use to God.

Greetings Sree

I appreciate your sharing what you feel the LORD showing you on this topic. I don't believe wearing the head covering is a salvation issue either. I have studied this matter, I have prayed about it, and so has my husband. After much seeking my husband has told me he does not believe I am to wear a literal head cover. I have spoken to other brothers and sisters in CHRIST as well and they have no such custom as to require a head cover. I do not believe I am in rebellion to my husband by not wearing a head cover since he is the head of our family and has sought the LORD on this topic. I also do not believe I am acting in ignorance of what the BIBLE says on the matter.

Again thank you for sharing this here with us.

God Bless
maryjane

MJ, I appreciate your response. Paul advices sisters to consult their husband on spiritual questions. You did right by seeking his opinion. I do not want anyone here who read my post to change just because I said so. I do not want to be a stumbling block to anyone. Even though what I said is truth, if someone just follows blindly after reading my post without getting a personal conviction then the covering will always be a burden to them.
I just expressed my view. I do not want to Judge anyone here.

I believe there are good arguments on both sides of this debate. I lean toward the view of the literal covering being a cultural issue, and for women today a matter of obeying the spirit of it and not the letter.

I looked at Matthew Henry's commentary on it and found it very interesting. Here is the link to it in case anyone is interested:

http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/1corinthians/mh/1corinthians11.htm

Sree wrote:

"It was rebellion for a simple command"

But you also said you would not call them unrepentant.

If rebellion is not unrepentance then what is?

This is a matter where there is freedom. A woman who does not wear a head covering is not in rebellion. A woman who feels they should wear one should wear one.

When you use words like rebellion the suggestion is that the woman not covering her head is sinning. You might think that but you should keep that to yourself so you do not burden with other women with your thoughts on the matter.

I honestly think The Lord just shakes his head over these discussions.

Respectfully, if those on the side of literal head coverings are right, it most definitely is a sin issue and women not wearing them are indeed sinning. And even on the other hand if those on the side of not wearing one are right it can still be a sin issue in that those wearing a covering may be placing an unnecessary burden on others. But it is not a "sin issue” over which there should be any kind of division.

I would compare this with other "sin issues" such as gluttony or smoking cigarettes. These things are sins but those involved with them may not have enough light or conviction of the Holy Spirit on them yet. The Lord may still be working on believers regarding these things and there needs to be room for growth in these areas.

In some form or another we all sin sort of unknowingly at times. Some of us may drink too much coffee, some may watch too much TV, some may work too much, etc. We must discern what essential sin issues are and what sin issues not worth dividing or arguing over are.